The unveiling ceremony was scheduled to start at 10:00 am. I arrived on the scene at 9:30am to find a few hardy souls standing around the blue draped memorial plaque outside the Magnolia Bank (The former Milledgeville Hotel) on the corner of Greene and Wayne streets.  Oliver Hardy moved to the city of Milledgeville in 1907 with his widowed mother Emily Hardy, who came to manage the hotel, and his half-brother Bardy Tant.

Within a very short time the street corner was crowded with fans of the late, great comedian, there to witness the unveiling. The plaque was directly outside the former Milledgeville Hotel, later to become the Baldwin Hotel, that Hardy's mother Emily managed. Hardy was know as Norvell at that time, but folks always called him Fatty.

Festivities began promptly with Georgia Military School band playing and marching from the school that Oliver once attended. The band was followed by Hardy's impersonator in a 1909 Ford model-T driven by Forrest Giles. In keeping with his character, Tom Toney smiled, giggled and fiddled with his tie throughout the ride down Greene Street to the marker site.

The irony of the 10 years Hardy spent in Milledgeville was that he was the least popular of the two sons who moved to town with Emily Hardy. Doctor Bob Wilson, local historian and history professor at Georgia college and State University, said it was Hardy's half-brother, Bardy Tant, who got the bulk of the town's attention. Two or three years older than Oliver and all the attention in the town, judging from news-paper columns of the time.

Milledgeville Mayor Floyd Griffin Junior opened the ceremony by sharing the importance of celebrating the city's history with such markers. He later presented a proclamation to the president of the Newcomers Club, Jackie Resinger, proclaiming the day Oliver Hardy Day in Milledgeville. "This is a great day to be a citizen of Milledgeville and Baldwin County." he said "Any time that we take the opportunity to do something as important as this in our community is extremely great for the community."

Dr. Bob Wilson, local historian and professor of history at Georgia College and State University, said he has been asked recently about the significance of  The Oliver Hardy Historic Marker.

"It was in Milledgeville that he first became interested in film and developed, by looking around him at the denizens of Milledgeville, some of his comic persona." he said.

Wilson then introduced the man of the hour. Hardy, who until then had been waiting patiently in the 1909 Ford. Hearing his introduction, Hardy clumsily stepped from the car and nearly lost his hat. But he quickly gathered himself and joined the crowd.

"It's a wonderful honour to be here with all you folks today." he said. "I have so many pleasant memories of Milledgeville."

Then Wilson helped the actor up to the marker, where Hardy (Toney) removed the blue cover from the marker placed in his honour.

"Thank you all for coming out." he said, afterwards. "It's wonderful to have this memory here at last of one of the great, great people of Milledgeville - Me!"

Joining the crowd to watch the unveiling were several people who had connections with Hardy beyond watching his movies and other productions.

Amelia Tennille, actually had a connection to the man being honoured.

"My Mother walked to school with him everyday and carried his books so that he could dance and sing." She said.

Although Alfie Geeson's connection was more to Stan Laurel than to Hardy, it was important to him to be a part of the event. He said he met Laurel's sister, Olga Healey, in The Bull pub she owned in Bottesford Leicestershire in England.

"I've been a fan of Laurel and Hardy all of my life, and knowing Olga (Laurel's) sister makes it even more of an occasion that I've got to attend." said Alfie, who is originally from England.